Fans of Edmonton Eskimos asked to scrimmage on name change question

Edmonton Eskimos' Adarius Bowman (4) celebrates his touchdown against then Winnipeg Blue Bombers during second half CFL western semifinal action in Winnipeg on November 12, 2017. Fans of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos are being asked if they think the team should change its name. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

EDMONTON - Thousands of core fans of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos are being asked if they think the team should change its name.

The question surrounding the name Eskimo is contained in the club's annual survey of its season ticket holders.

The term is widely considered to be offensive by Canada’s Inuit population.

A poll conducted by Insight West found 57 per cent of Canadians find its use acceptable.

League commissioner and former Eskimo player Randy Ambrosie says it’s up to the team to decide if the name should be changed.

Ambrosie, who was in the Alberta capital on Tuesday, says it's an issue for the Eskimos, their fans and for the relationship between Edmontonians and the Inuit community.

Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians announced last month that starting in 2019 they are changing their uniform's logo, which depicts a smiling Indigenous man called Chief Wahoo. (CTV Edmonton, The Canadian Press)